Collection

Homes for health

Strategies, plans, advice, and guidance about the relationship between health and the home.

• From: Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
• Published: 31 March 2016
• Last updated: 30 October 2019 — See all updates

Following the implementation of the Health and Care Act 2022 on 1 July 2022, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have been abolished and their functions have been assumed by integrated care boards (ICBs).

Public Health England has also been replaced by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). These changes will be reflected at its next update.

These resources can help local authorities, health and social care commissioners and decision makers make plans to improve health and wellbeing through the places people live.

Commissioning for improved health through the home

• Improving health through the home
  • 3 August 2017
  • Guidance
• Improving health through the home: a checklist for local plans and policies
  • 10 November 2016
  • Guidance
• Joint action on improving health through the home: memorandum of understanding
  • 1 December 2014
  • Policy paper
• Standards of evidence in housing
  • 1 February 2016
  • Research and analysis

Assessing local plans to include housing

As a wider determinant of health, any local plan for improved health and wellbeing must give thought to the home environment and housing circumstances: how do they impact on the population’s health and wellbeing, and what action is needed to mitigate risks?

• Improving health through the home: a checklist for local plans and policies
  • 10 November 2016
  • Guidance

Housing conditions and household circumstances

English housing survey (DCLG)

• Understanding the cost of poor housing to health: briefing papers
  • 1 December 2015
  • Guidance
• Housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS) operating guidance: housing inspections and assessment of hazards
  • 27 February 2006
  • Guidance

Suitable homes

Quick guide: health and housing (NHS England)

Better use of care at home (NHS England)

Resources to support improvements in delayed transfers of care (Social Care Institute for Excellence)

Dementia: independence and wellbeing (NICE quality standard QS30)

• Dementia and housing: an assessment tool for local commissioning
  • 24 May 2016
  • Guidance
• Integrating home adaptations for better health and wellbeing outcomes
  • 23 September 2016
  • Guidance
• End of life care: helping people to be cared for and die at home
  • 23 February 2016
  • Research and analysis

Temperature and climate

Excess winter deaths and illness and the health risks associated with cold homes (NICE guideline NG6)

Preventing excess winter deaths and illness associated with cold homes (NICE quality standard QS117)

Local action on health inequalities evidence review 7: fuel poverty and cold home-related health problems

Flooding: health guidance and advice

• Affordable Warmth and Health Impact Evaluation Toolkit
  • 8 April 2016
  • Guidance

Other hazards in the home

Unintentional injuries: prevention strategies for under 15s (NICE guidelines PH29)

Preventing unintentional injury in under 15s (NICE quality standard QS107)

UK Radon

• Reducing unintentional injuries among children and young people
  • 6 November 2018
  • Guidance
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022: guidance for landlords and tenants
  • 29 July 2022
  • Guidance
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022: guidance for local authorities
  • 29 July 2022
  • Guidance

Stable homes and ending homelessness

Tuberculosis (NICE guidelines NG33)

• Homeless health needs: audit toolkit
  • 31 July 2015
  • Research and analysis
• Homelessness: applying All Our Health
  • 6 June 2019
  • Guidance
• Preventing homelessness to improve health and wellbeing
  • 1 July 2015
  • Research and analysis
• Tuberculosis (TB) and homelessness
  • 16 December 2019
  • Guidance
• Tuberculosis (TB): collaborative strategy for England
  • 24 March 2021
  • Policy paper
• Commissioning inclusive health services: practical steps
  • 19 August 2013
  • Independent report
• Effective health care for vulnerable groups prevented by data gaps
  • 7 March 2014
  • Independent report
• Older people and alcohol misuse: helping people stay in their homes
  • 29 March 2016
  • Guidance
• Gypsy and Traveller health: accommodation and living environment
  • 8 January 2016
  • Independent report

Healthy communities and neighbourhoods

Securing constructive collaboration and consensus for planning healthy developments. A report from the TCPA Developers and Wellbeing project (February 2018)

National Conversation on Health Inequalities

• Fast food outlets: density by local authority in England
  • 29 June 2018
  • Research and analysis
• Healthy High Streets: good place making in an urban setting
  • 17 January 2018
  • Research and analysis
• Health and environmental impact assessment: guide for local teams
  • 17 July 2017
  • Guidance
• Spatial planning for health: evidence review
  • 6 July 2017
  • Guidance
• Spatial planning and health: Getting Research into Practice (GRIP)
  • 12 January 2021
  • Research and analysis
• Making Every Contact Count (MECC): practical resources
  • 4 March 2020
  • Guidance
• Active ageing and the built environment: practice briefing
  • 1 February 2016
  • Research and analysis
• Health and wellbeing: a guide to community-centred approaches
  • 11 February 2015
  • Research and analysis
• Sustainable development strategy for the health and social care system: 2014 to 2020
  • 29 January 2014
  • Research and analysis

Published 31 March 2016
Last updated 30 October 2019 + show all updates

1. 30 October 2019

   Added 'Spatial planning and health: Getting Research into Practice (GRIP)'.

2. 29 June 2018

   Added 'Fast food outlets: density by local authority in England' to healthy communities and neighbourhoods section.

3. 17 January 2018

   Updated to include new research and analysis Healthy High Streets on the environmental impact on mental health

4. 17 July 2017

   Added 'Health and environmental impact assessment: guide for local teams'.

5. 6 July 2017

   Added 'Spatial planning for health: evidence review'.

6. 10 November 2016

   Added the Improving health through the home documents.

7. 14 October 2016

   Added Smoke and carbon guidance, homelessness: applying all our health.

8. 22 September 2016

   Added Care & Repair publications.

9. 31 March 2016

   First published.